Photosensitive tube



Nov. 10, 1936. w. M. PATTERSON PHOTOSENSITIVE TUBE Original l Filed June 11', 1931 W/WE5555:

INVENTOR MY/fam/M /%//ers0n.

BYU

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE PHOTOSENSITIVE TUBE William Maurice Patterson,

Fairland, Ind.,

assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania 6 Claims. (01. 250-27.5)

My invention relates to electric discharge devices and has particular relation to photo-sensi- I tive devices.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 543,507, filed June 11, 1931 and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company.

It is an object of my invention to provide a photo-sensitive device the character of the response of which shall be dependent on the orientation of the region of the cathode thereof that a photo-sensitive device of the type wherein. the

response shall be dependent in a predetermined predictable manner on the relative orientation of the region of the cathode that is under ex-v citation.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a photo-sensitive device that shall be capable of responding in a predetermined manner to localized excitation and that shall indicate the relative locality of the excitation.

More specifically stated it is an object of my invention to. provide a photo-sensitive device. that shall be capable of energizing a group of elements responsive thereto and arranged in a predetermined manner in accordance with the. localization of the excitation of the cathode thereof.

A photo-sensitive device constructed in accordance with the practice of my invention comprises preferably a photo-sensitive cathode or a plurality of photo-sensitive cathodes disposed in a suitably evacuated container and a plurality of collecting electrodes or anodes associated with the cathode or cathodes. When a plurality of cathodes are utilized an anode is associated with each cathode and the cathodes are so constructed geometrically that the electron flow when any cathode is excited will be substantially entirely to the corresponding anode. When a single cathode is utilized it is subdivided into distinct regions and an anode is associated with each region. Each region of the cathode is of such structure that when the excitation is localized therein the fiow of current is substantially to the corresponding anode.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment, when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view showing a photoacoustic reproducing system incorporating a photo-sensitive device constructed in accordance with the practice of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing a photosensitive device having a single cathode constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views showing several modifications of my invention.

In Fig. 1 a photo-acoustic reproducing system in which a photo-sensitive device constructed according to my invention is incorporated is shown. This system is shown to illustrate the utility of my invention.

The system shown in Fig. 1 comprises a light source 63, a condensing lens 61, whereby the radiations from the source 63 are gathered and focused on a slot 69, and a lens system 7 I. whereby the slot 69 is imaged on the film 25 in the form of an attenuated rectangle 13 extending across the film 25.

The film 25 is of the type provided in accordance with the parent application of which this application is a division. It does not essentially concern the present invention and need not therefore be described in detail here. Briefly, itmay be said that a record 2'! is impressed on the film in such manner that its orientation corresponds to the orientation in a particular set of the sound emitter corresponding to the record. In reproducing advantage can only be taken of the structure of the record 21 if a reproducing system can be provided which is responsive to the relative orientation of the record on the film 25. Such a reproducing system is incorporated in the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 and one of the essential elements of the system is the photo-sensitive device 15.

The photo-sensitive device 15, comprising an elongated container 17 having disposed therein, a plurality of independent cathodes it and anodes 8l, is located behind the film 25. The light transmitted through the film 25 and modified by the sound track 21 impressed thereon impinges on the cathodes 19 of the photo-sensitive device 15. The cathodes 19 are energized in accordance with their disposition in the photo-sensitive device, and their state of excitation is dependent on the lateral orientation of the sound track on the film.

The cathodes 19 of the photo-sensitive device 15 are cylindrical in structure and when a particular cathode is excited the electronic current produced thereby is directed towards the corresponding anode 8|. The current produced between each cathode l9 and its corresponding anode 8| is fed into a plurality of independent amplifiers 83, 85 and 81, which, in turn, feed into a plurality of loud speakers 89, 9I and 93. The loud speakers 89, 9I and 93 are arranged in the vicinity of the picture screen (not shown) in a manner corresponding to the microphones in the recording setting, and it is seen that the magnitude of the sound reproduced by the loud speakers will be dependent on the state of excitation of the individual cathodes I9 and, therefore, on the original disposition of the sound-emitting bodies in the recording setting.

In Fig. 2, a photo-sensitive device 95 of V a type having a common cathode 91, a plurality of principal anodes 99 and a plurality of auxiliary anodes IOI is shown. The cathode 91 and the principal anodes 99 are respectively connected to the terminals, of a plurality of inductors I03 which are the input elements to a plurality of amplifiers.

It is apparent that the anode associated with the region of the cathode wherein the radiant energy is localized will receive a greater charge than the anodes associated with the other regions of the cathode. Moreover, it is a well known fact that photo-electrons are emitted from the surface, in general, in a direction perpendicular to the surface. Consequently, since the cathode surface comprises a plurality of cylindrical arcs I05 and the anodes 99 are disposed at the centers of curvature of the arcs, the result produced by radiant energy of a localized character will correspond with comparative accuracy to the calization of the energy.

The auxiliary anodes IOI are disposed between the principal anodes 99. The anodes IOI are connected to the mid taps I01 of the. resistors I09 which, in turn, are connected to the lower terminals of the inductors I03. The auxiliary anodes IOI aid in smoothing out the characteristic response of the system and eliminate any abrupt effects that may arise by reason of the sudden transfer of the reproduction from one loud speaker to another. The photo-tube 95 of the type illustrated in Fig. 2 is particularly adapted to be utilized in apparatus of a type wherein the loud speakers in the central region of the reproducing stage are capable of delivering more power output than the speakersin the terminal regions of the stage.

In Fig. 3, a photo-sensitive device ,I0'I having a plurality of individual cathodes I09 and a plurality of principal and auxiliary anodes III-and I I3. associated with each cathode is shown. The purpose of the auxiliary anodes H3 in the photosensitive device I0'I of the type illustrated in Fig. 3 is the same as the purpose of the corre sponding anodes ml in the device 95 of the type illustrated in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 4, a photo-sensitive device II5, comprising a single cathode II'I having plural-arc configuration and an anode II9 associated with each arc, is shown.

In Fig. 5, a photo-sensitive device I2I, of a type having a plane cathode I23 and a plurality of associated anodes I25, is illustrated. It is seen that by reason of the fact that electrons are emitted from the surface of the cathode I23 in a normal direction, the anode I25 nearest a point of excitation of the cathode I23 will receive the preponderance of the electronic current from the cathode.

In Fig. 6, a photo-sensitive device I21, incorporating a cathode I29 of the type having the configuration ofan arc made up of a plurality of reentrant smaller arcs I3I is shown. A plurality of anodes I33 are associated with the smaller arcs I3I.

It should be noted that, while modifications of photo-tubes having independent anodes and a common cathode are illustrated and described hereinabove, my invention may be equally as well practiced with photo-tubes having a common anode and a plurality of independent cathodes. 'In such a case the anode may be connected to a common terminal such as the terminal of the circuit. shown in Fig. 2 to which the cathode 91 is connected while cathodes having the cylindrical configuration of the cathodes I09 of the photo-sensitive device I01 shown in Fig. 3 and electrically independent of each other may be connected to they terminals of the circuit shown in Fig. 2 to which the anodes 99 are connected.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An article of manufacture comprising a container having a photo-sensitive element disposed therein, said element being formed into a plurality of arcs of circular cylinders, and a plurality of charge-collectors disposed at the centers of curvatures of said arcs.

2. An article of manufacture comprising a container having a photo-sensitive element disposed therein, said element being formed into a plurality of arcs of circular cylinders, a plurality of charge-collectors disposed at the centers of curvatures of said arcs and a plurality of charge collecting elements disposed between said arcs.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a con-- tainer having a photo-sensitive element disposed therein, said element being formed into a plurality of curved surfaces, and a plurality of charge-collectors disposed at the centers of curvatures of said curved surfaces.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a container, a row of curved photo-sensitive surfaces disposed within said container, a plurality of independent charge-collecting elements, one of said elements being disposed opposite each of said sur-' faces, for collecting the charges emitted by said surfaces, a plurality of auxiliary charge-collecting elements disposed between said surfaces and terminals connected to said surfaces and said charge-collecting elements.

5. An article of manufacture comprising a vacuum tight container, a plurality of curved photosensitive surfaces disposed within said container, a plurality of independent means for collecting the charges emitted by said surfaces, said independent means and said curved photo-sensitive surfaces being disposed in groups and independent outlet connections from each of said groups.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a vacuum tight container, a plurality of curved photosensitive surfaces disposed in a row within said container, a plurality of independent means for collecting the charges emitted by said surfaces, at least one of said independent means being associated with each of said curved photo-sensitive surfaces and forming a group therewith and independent outlet connections from each of said groups.

WILLIAM MAURICE PATTERSON. 

